Save the file with CTRL + S — name it whatever you like, but be sure that it ends in .reg to make it a Registry file. Double-click the new file and confirm adding it to the Registry.

Now, you can restart the computer to re-enable automatic updates, or open the Start Menu and choose All Programs > Windows Update to check for updates on the web manually. You should find new updates waiting for you, despite XP not receiving any updates since 2014.

The trick is that the registry value you edited tells the update server that your machine is running Windows XP Embedded, which was a special version of XP designed to be embedded inside lightweight systems like cash registers. Note that these updates were not intended for XP and may cause issues, so do this at your own risk.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment

Name *

Email *

Bill

December 18, 2018 at 2:44 pm

This worked on my IBM T23 Thinkpad except now, I get error messages every time I try do do anything on the machine. I'm trying to find a decent Linux program that will run fast on it. The ones I tried so far run, but are very slow.

Hi There,
In my constant search for advice, in fear of pending doom :-), I found your site today. I have a 12 year old laptop still operating WinXP, SP3. I followed the instructions above and when completed...99 updates were successfully installed!!!
Thanks, Brid

08/22/2018. Just got 30, new Windows XP updates today. Comment at the end was that an update to Service Pack 3 could not be installed and asked to reboot. After reboot, no followup to they last update appeared.

I am using Win-XP-SP3 because I need to save my data from my iQue 3600 (PDA/Gps) device and Gamin never updated the Palm software to work on Win-7, Palm desktop without Garmin's influence (insults) will not read the Garmin iQue 3600. When Parallels dies on my MAC (Not supported by Apple since 10.6.x) i will give up my iQue used.

Why is everyone completely obsessed with Windows updates? I have turned off the updates on 2 separate XP machines about 2 years ago, and guess what! Neither of them have self destructed, developed terminal Malware or grown horns... (Yes, I do run an antivirus)
Sure, if you spend half of every evening hitting porn sites, and click every link you get in a spam email, you might need them but otherwise you will be amazed how much better the machine runs without all the extra bloatware installed - not to mention not having to put up with Microsoft checking up on everything you do...

And why do I still run XP?
I hate Windows 7 (I'm stuck with it on my laptop) and Windows 10 is an abomination... Nearly everyone I know who has it hates it with a passion! Why would I want to run an operating system that wastes hours of my time EVERY 2 weeks running updates automatically that I can't turn off? No, I'm afraid ill stick with XP till the end, then its Linux time.

I still remember a time when new versions of Windows actually ran much faster and were more reliable....

*Upgrade* to Windows 10 or a Chromebook?? DOWNGRADE!!! I'm using a PIII 1GHZ 512MB RAM with an older stand-alone-setup of Chrome and it works fine on just about every page. I don't want to give up 10 years of learning XP and 20 years worth of programs that will only run on XP. It will still do everything I want to do except video editing of the newer bigger video files, and sure, there will be web page issues in the future, but for now it's ok. When that happens, I'll disconnect it from the net and use the Library internet until I can afford an 'internet PC' just for browsing and video editing. (A faster XP box! :P) Plus, I hate throwing out perfectly good equipment just because MS or Google want us to run their bloatware. Winamp running in the background now playing my newest CD music files - Siamese Dream by the Smashing Pumpkins, edited by me in Wavelab, saved to my 500GB IDE drive, out to my amp and 18" high speakers. Beautiful. Don't worry baby, I won't throw you away! :-)

I'm using the "Registry Edit" after recently reading the old PCMAG article on it: works great. 170 updates for SP3. Using Mozilla with the XP machine, gets 5 hours on the battery. I'm running the Xilinx Development Environment that came with the Waveshare DVK600 FPGA development kit. Up and running in an hour. WIN7 machines tend to burn through the batteries quickly- I get about an hour on an HP I7 machine. WIN10 is out of the question for doing actual work on a computer, it's more of a "Net Connected Tablet" rather than a real computer that can be used for writing code. WIN7- which is worse, this "unack'd XP Updater or WIN7 Updater burning on the CPU". WIN8- they should recall it.

Agree with H. Monk. Just because a person can't possibly envision a use-case for XP doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Considering the world-wide economy and the effect it's had on small businesses would enlighten one to the fact that the main reason businesses - and many individuals - stick with XP isn't laziness (as the author offered as first reason) but rather pure economics: folks can't afford to upgrade their hardware.
Safety is, of course, an issue. Fortunately, there are a lot more options out there these days. Even those on fixed incomes can afford to dumpster-dive (get "obsolete" hardware for free or insanely cheap), then install some distro of Linux on it. Even here in Oz, you can pick up used PCs for as little as $30 (computerbank.org.au) with Ubuntu pre-installed. And there's your SAFE Internet connection - infinitely safer than with any flavour of Windows!

If you are "sick and tired of seeing these XP articles everywhere" why did you read this one. Just asking.

I triple boot XP, Win7, and Win10. Why? Legacy software, especially games, and peripherals that will not run or run poorly on Windows OS after XP.

Just one example, I have two HP Lasertjet 4 printers that, try all of the suggestions that are out there I may, will not run on my Win7 x64 or Win10 x64 installations - but purr on XP. Those machines are laser workhorses that yield 8800 pages with the 92298X cartridge - for $44. My Brother MFC 7840W yields 2600 pages for $35, and my HP M452dn yields between 2200 and 2600 pages - for $375.

Secondly, of all of the Windows software that I have used, from DOS 3.2 through Win10, XP is my favorite. To be sure, later versions, e.g., Win10, are more feature packed but are lacking in the feel and experience offered by XP. Are those characteristics important? Well, having operated a successful business for 38 years, I have found that there is more to life than technocracy. For me, XP is akin to stopping and smelling the flowers.

I have a couple machines that still have XP, but I boot Linux on them if I need to use the internet, or run new apps, or ..... well, I always run Linux on them. It runs my old scanner and TV capture card, too. Unless you have an app that only runs on XP (have you tried Wine with it?), that ship has sailed.

I'm sick and tired of seeing these XP articles everywhere. I don't understand why people are hanging on to Windows XP. This registry edit is not intended for the normal user. This simply allows the latest Windows updates and security patches for ATMs, POS Systems, etc, but does not extend support for web browsers. IE 8 is no longer supported, period. Chrome & Firefox also do not support XP of any version. So you will still run into browsing issues in the very near future. It may support Microsoft Security Essentials and Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool, but we all know that both are worthless. It's truly not worth the time and effort to keep XP alive anymore, thus why Microsoft decided to cut support for it to the masses back in 2014. Either upgrade to 7 or buy a new/refurbished computer.

I've had this patch on my Windows XP Lenovo for almost 2 years now, and no issues at all. It is important because it updates Malicious Software Removal Tool monthly as well. I use Windows XP because, even though I have Linux on another machine, Linux can not run my Canon Pixma 1700 printer; my TV game show video games; and so much software that 15 years of usage has produced. Just remember...Windows 10 is over 95% of what Windows XP; Windows 7; and Windows 8 is. It has to be to make it backwards compatible.

Ben is a Deputy Editor and the Sponsored Post Manager at MakeUseOf. He holds a B.S. in Computer Information Systems from Grove City College, where he graduated Cum Laude and with Honors in his major. He enjoys helping others and is passionate about video games as a medium.